RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding
announced that JAMES BOYCE BLACK, a/k/a Jim Black, was sentenced in
today in federal court in Raleigh, North Carolina. U. S. District
Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Black to 63 months imprisonment,
3 years supervised release, a $50,000 fine, and a $100 special
assessment. United States Attorney Holding said: “Today is the end
of the line for Jim Black and his corruption. Speaker Black is
going to prison for 63 months. He earned every day of it.

The length of his sentence is a clear and strong deterrent to
those politicians or public servants who might be tempted to break
the law. North Carolinians are not going to put up with a
politician prostituting his power in deals so corrupt they have to
be transacted in the restroom.”

BLACK pled guilty on February 15, 2007, to one felony count of
corruptly accepting things of value concerning programs receiving
federal funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(B). The
offense involved Black taking about $25,000 in cash, plus a $4000
check, in corrupt payments from three chiropractors who had an
interest in legislative business, such as a provision passed in
2005, with BLACK’S support, that increased insurance co-payments
for chiropractors. After BLACK’S guilty plea, the General Assembly
repealed the provision on April 25, 2007.

BLACK pled guilty before Judge James C. Dever, III, but later
moved to recuse Judge Dever. On June 5, 2007, Judge Dever denied
the motion, but announced that he was recusing himself on his own
motion. The case was then randomly assigned to Judge Boyle for
sentencing.

The Criminal Information does not allege wrongdoing by any
person other than BLACK.

The criminal investigation is being conducted jointly by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-
Criminal Investigation Division, the North Carolina State Bureau of
Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, in
conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office and the Office
of Wake County District Attorney C. Colon Willoughby, Jr. First
Assistant U. S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce and Assistant U. S.
Attorney Dennis M. Duffy are prosecuting the case for the United
States.

Special Agent in Charge Nathan Thomas Gray of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, stated:"Although public corruption will never be totally eradicated, the
FBI stands committed to working with the citizens of this great
country, this great state, and our partners in law enforcement to
ensure that public servants serve the public good."

Special Agent in Charge Charles E. Hunter of the Internal
Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division said: “Public
corruption touches everyone. Mr. Black’s greed motivated him to
abuse his office and erode public confidence. He disgraced
himself, his office and the great State of North Carolina. IRS-CI is serious about making elected officials accountable for
their actions.”

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper stated: “This is
a dark day in North Carolina’s history, but it does show the
importance of cooperation between state and federal authorities
in restoring public integrity to our government,”

“Though it was a complex and difficult assignment, our
agents worked tirelessly with federal prosecutors and
investigators to find the truth,” said North Carolina State
Bureau of Investigation Director Robin Pendergraft.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at
www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.

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